The driver of a truck laden with logs that crashed into a sign painter, who was designing a wall at the National Cultural Centre (NCC) two weeks ago, remains on the run, while his victim is in the midst of a painful recovery.
The victim of the accident Rodwell Bess, 30, of 232 Middle Road, West La Penitence, was on June 5 painting a sign for the ‘Feel the Beat’ finale outside the NCC when he was hit by the truck, which was carrying a trailer of logs. It is believed that the driver of the truck, bearing licence plate GMM 2111, lost control as he was speeding north on Mandela Avenue. He exited the vehicle and escaped without rendering any assistance to Bess, who was pinned.
Stabroek News visited Bess at his home on Thursday last and found him in his bed. He stated that he was discharged from the Georgetown Public Hospital more than a week ago after being a patient in its High Dependency Unit.
He explained that he had suffered a fractured skull as a result of the accident and he was confined to bed as he still experiences tremendous pain. “If I sit down for five minutes my head is start to spin,” the man said in a low tone.
He pointed out that because he operates his own sign painting business, at Orange Walk, Bourda, he is unable to bring in an income to provide for his family, and specifically his young daughter.
The man’s mother, Yvonne Bryan, told this newspaper that she wants justice after what has happened to her son. She is hoping that the driver of the vehicle is found soon. She explained that based on information she had received, the truck was recently sold and was never registered to its new owner, so finding the company that hired the driver would be difficult.
“First of all, that truck should be at the police station but it was never there. Nobody never come or anything like that… once in a while the police would call and say ‘hi, how he doing’ or what’s not. When I went to the station, they said they looking into it and they looking for the man because he was involved in another accident before,” Bryan told this newspaper.
Bess said he had graduated from the Burrowes School of Art in 2001 after studying painting before also qualifying himself in graphic design.
